Op-ed: Wilson College must face stark reality

By Barbara K. Mistick Wilson College has been in the news recently as current students and alumnae weigh in on a process that began just over a year ago. Unfortunately, many of these reports have made the story appear to be about the college’s attempt to forsake its history as a women’s college in favor of a model of coeducation.

If the merits of the educational experience at a college for women were at the heart of this matter, then there would be no story. No one at Wilson doubts the power of the education we provide. Rather, the college is faced with a stark reality. Much as the federal government wrestles with the so-called “fiscal cliff,” so, too, does Wilson.

As a tuition-driven institution, Wilson has lived with stagnant enrollment for 16 years in its College for Women. Wilson’s enrollment in the undergraduate college peaked in 1967 with 732 students and has not achieved half that number since 1976.

In three of the last four years, Wilson has had operational budget deficits and currently has $31 million in total debt. There is $10 million in deferred campus maintenance and, in 2018, Wilson will begin making principal payments on a multi-million dollar bond. There also have been substantial cultural shifts since the heyday of single-sex colleges.

In 1950, there were 203 women’s colleges in the United States. Since that time, 51 have closed, 22 have merged with other colleges or universities and 84 have elected to become coeducational. And like Wilson, 34 of the remaining 46 women’s colleges admit men to select undergraduate and graduate programs.

Studies have shown that only 2 percent of college-age women will consider and eventually apply to a college for women. Additionally, today’s students look for academic programs first and assess other areas of college choice afterward. In fact, of the five students on a panel at a recent Wilson admissions event, none said they came to Wilson because it was a women’s college.

Under these circumstances, the Wilson board of trustees acted with prudence in giving me approval to appoint a special commission of faculty, alumnae/i, staff and students, tasked with exploring all avenues toward reaching a sustainable financial future for the college.

After months of research, discussion and debate on hundreds of ideas — from the commission and those submitted by our alumnae and students — the commission eventually focused on five key areas: pricing and value, academic programs, infrastructure, marketing and coeducation.

The idea of implementing all the ideas with the exception of coeducation has been explored by the commission as well. However, even with optimistic enrollment projections, this course would leave Wilson with a 2020 financial deficit of $2.5 million and an additional cumulative debt of $23.9 million over that time.

We understand why people would think we haven’t considered all the options. Though the process has been open and transparent, change is difficult. Picking and choosing areas of change to make everyone comfortable simply will not yield a truly viable or sustaining result.

Barbara Mistick

A letter to the commission from Alice Drum ’57, one of many supportive letters received, shared insights on the nature of change that worries so many: “Let me say this — and with enormous respect for those who believe something will change with the admission of men — you’re right. But something has already changed. I remember Wilson College in the fall with streams of young women in camel and navy and plaid coats walking in front of or going into the library; I remember large groups of students in front of Main or walking to what was then the president’s house. That, too, has changed. The campus often seems strangely empty to me, not the vital, dynamic place I remember it to be.”

We value the resonant spirit that our alumnae feel for their personal Wilson experiences and are united with them in a shared desire to see a bright future for the college. Wilson, like any college, has endured much change since its founding in 1869, but one thing has become clear; as do the best of colleges, the core of a Wilson education provides an indelible experience.

While recommendations have been passed to our board, at this point no decisions have been made and much debate remains. Regardless of which recommendations the board approves, Wilson will evolve again. But what will not change is a continued mission to educate and prepare all our students for success, personal and professional. 